PRAGUE: Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas was likely to stay in power after rebel lawmakers threatening to topple his government over a tax hike backed down yesterday fearing the left-wing opposition would win in a snap election.
Six rebels from Necas’s own Civic Democrats (ODS) party had long vowed to vote down a Necas-proposed law raising sales tax and slapping taxes on the rich, which the austerity-minded prime minister said was tantamount to a confidence motion. But they withdrew their threat.
“I want to confirm that a compromise has been found between the party leaders and the (rebel) lawmakers about the consolidation bill,” Necas said at a press conference.
“I firmly believe that this step has resolved this conflict within the ODS caucus,” he said.
Member of Parliament Petr Tluchor told reporters last evening that three of the rebels including himself would quit as MPs while staying in the ODS, two would vote with the government today and one would abstain.
Their decision will help give Necas the majority he needs and avert his downfall which could lead to a snap election likely propelling the left-wing opposition to power. “We don’t want the government to fall and the Communists to take power,” Tluchor told reporters.
The ODS was clobbered in senate by-elections last month which handed victory to the left-wing Social Democrats, who are also tipped in recent surveys as the clear winners of a possible snap election. The Social Democrats are also expected to cooperate with the far left Communist Party, which ruled in former Czechoslovakia in 1948-1989.
Necas, who has seen his backing in the 200-seat parliament shrink to just 94 votes, needs the support of the six rebels along with votes from former allies now sitting as independents for a slender majority. Ex-education minister Josef Dobes, sacked by Necas, has vowed to back the tax hike and the confidence motion too.AFP
